The best place to sell your textbooks? – Archive
Written by Crow's Nest Staff, Jan 24, 2011, 0 Comments
Brad Richardson
Contributing Writer
With the start of each semester, college students look to find the best way to sell back their unwanted textbooks. The University of South Florida and other sales services help students get rid of those extra books. Many of these buyback services have their pros and cons. Two businesses in particular have become the front-runners on the USF St. Petersburg campus to buy and sell books.
Barnes & Noble is the most notable place to buy and sell books. The main company, Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc. operates with more than 600 college institutions in the country. It has become one of the most popular bookstores where students can find a wide variety of textbooks and study guides.
Barnes & Noble offers buybacks to students each semester. Located at 500 3rd Street South, they offer a large amount of audio and reading material that students can use for both class and leisure. They also offer additional supplies such as binders, notebooks and folders embroidered with either the USF or Barnes & Noble insignia.
Most buybacks for books can range from $20 to $50. Until exam week, they will not accept any books for buyback unless they have not been opened.
There are many benefits with the Barnes & Noble bookstore being located on campus. While you are buying books you can pick up a hot or iced coffee at Starbucks. Also, the bookstore has student employees that can assist students with finding the right book at a reasonable price.
Student Sarah Henry says that when she buys her books, they are always nice and willing to help her find the ones she needed.
“I bring in a course list for my classes and I let them point me in the right direction of where everything is at,” Henry said.
BookHolders is an online selling business that is similar to Amazon. It was founded by a student that wanted to be able to sell his books without being given an amount that was entirely less than what he originally paid for the book. They will buyback your textbooks even if they are not being used for the following semester.
They collect the books from either their on-campus station, their website or at certain stations located throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough County.
BookHolders employee Chris Wilson said that their website is one of the best ways to get compensation for your books and not be “ripped off.”
“If at any point when you sell the book and if you want the book back before it is sold, you can get it back at no extra cost,” Wilson said. “We look at the students’ needs, not just ours.”
Many other websites such as Amazon and eBay will buy back books, and store them in warehouses the same way that BookHolders does.
Many places will continue to collect used and new books throughout the semester. Differences in compensation will vary according to the availability of the book and how much money the company or store is willing to pay.
